Comments
NO PLAN OLYMPICS - The City Council motion referenced below allows any Olympic and Paralympic-related permanent or temporary developments / projects to be constructed without regard to CEQA, any existing specific plans, conditional use permits, Site Plan Review requirements, height limits, setbacks, etc. It would permit almost any type of development that claims a link to the Olympics the right to ignore and override any existing land use regulations.
The motion was briefly heard last Friday’s (2/21/25) City Council meeting and is being brought back to Council this Friday 2/28/25, likely with amendments that will be presented without advance public notice. It should be continued again.
The measure is too broadly written and should be opposed. Instead of authorizing an ordinance to be written, the Council should request a report back from the Planning Department that will more clearly define the specific projects that would be expedited under such a measure and the unintended short and long-term consequences on communities. There are great concerns as to how a project might potentially be reclassified or classified as an Olympics-related project seeking to bypass regulations meant to safeguard communities.
This measure creates a giant loophole that would allow a wide range of projects to be presented as “Olympics-related” and expedited without public scrutiny. It is a blank check for new construction with zero planning – an Olympics “Builder’s Remedy.” There is no reason why the City of Los Angeles cannot fashion an expedited review process for specifically identified projects that meet defined criteria.
A high-rise hotel could be built almost anywhere a developer desired. A media center, sports training facility, billboards, changes in traffic lane use (installation of bus and/or bike lanes without review), the McCourt Dodger Stadium Gondola (now being legally challenged), all could be built if they somehow claimed to be associated to the games, with guests coming to or traveling to events. The projects could be built on private property or on public land. In the case of the Sepulveda Dam Recreation Area, users there fear that private sporting facilities will be built and will permanently remain – removing that open space from public access forever.
And, we have long been told we were hosting a “no build” Olympic games.
Note also that the contract that the City signed with the private LA28 - OLYMPICS ORGANIZING COMMITTEE gives LA28 full control over the games as the language in it states that while the actions of LA28 are subject to approval of the LA City Council, it goes further to state that the Council’s approval shall not be reasonably withheld. That topic/discussion is for another time but serves to highlight why the Council File motion is especially dangerous. It would hand over full development authority to the LA28 Committee and any businesses, sponsors, participants, or countries able to claim a relationship to the games. The motion covers both temporary and permanent projects and installations. It does not address whether so-called temporary installations are to be removed, and if so, at whose cost.
Link to the Los Angeles Council File full motion.
Here is an excellent article on the proposed motion: The "No-Plan" Olympics.
Please submit a brief comment of opposition. Unfortunately, the Los Angeles City Council no longer takes virtual testimony. One must attend the full Council or its Committee meetings in person. Friday's Council meeting will be held at the Van Nuys City Hall, 14410 Sylvan Street, and begins at 10 am.
Submit a comment to LA City Council File 15-0989-S47 here.
(Barbara Broide is a community activist currently serves as Co-President of the Coalition for a Beautiful Los Angeles (formerly Coalition to Ban Billboard Blight).)
